Palau
Country Specific Information
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May 03, 2011

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Republic of Palau is a constitutional democracy with a population of approximately 21,000 people. Upon independence in 1994, Palau entered into a 50-year Compact of Free Association with the United States. Palau is an archipelago consisting of several hundred volcanic and limestone islands and coral atolls, few of which are inhabited. Palau is politically divided into 16 states. Palau’s developing economy depends on tourism, marine resources, and a relatively minor agricultural sector. Taxis are the main means of public transportation. Palau International Airport is located on Babeldaob Island, over the bridge from Koror Island. There is direct commercial air service to Palau from Manila, Taipei, and Guam. Please read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Palau for additional information.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you plan to live in or visit Palau, please take the time to tell our Embassy about your trip. If you enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, we can keep you up-to-date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. If you do not have access to the internet, you may enroll directly with the U.S. Embassy in Koror.

U.S. Embassy in Koror, Palau
In Airai State, in an area known as Omsangel (no street address)
P.O. Box 6028, Koror, Palau 96940.
Telephone: (680) 587-2920/2990
Facsimile: (680) 587-2911

The U.S. Embassy in Koror accepts passport applications but does not issue passports or make decisions about citizenship claims; the Honolulu Passport Agency handles these requests. The Embassy does not issue immigrant visas; that function is performed by the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months in order to enter Palau. This requirement does not apply to United States military personnel traveling or visiting Palau on official business. If you are a U.S. citizen visiting Palau for one year or less, you do not need a visa unless you are going to be employed. U.S. military personnelmustpresent official orders or documents certifying their status. U.S. military dependents ten years or oldermust have aU.S. Government-issued photo-ID cardshowing the name, date of birth, and their status. Visit the Embassy of Palau’s web sitefor the most current visa information.

HIV/AIDS Restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Palau.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

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SAFETY AND SECURITY: Civil disorder is rare; however, avoid public demonstrations and/or political rallies if they occur.

Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on twitter and become a fan of the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on facebook as well.

You can obtain up-to-date safety and security information by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the U.S. and Canada, or by calling a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Take some time before you travel to improve your personal security – conditions in other countries are often different than they are in the United States. Here are some useful tips for traveling safely abroad.

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CRIME: Although the crime rate in Palau is relatively low, as a foreign resident or visitor, you might be the target of petty and sometimes violent crime as well as other random acts against individuals and property. Please stay alert for your personal safety and protect your valuables.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too.

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INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate (see the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates ). If your passport is stolen we can help you replace it. For violent crimes such as assault and rape, we can, for example, help you find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and help you get money from them if you need it. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime are solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Palau is also 911.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. Criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods or engage in child pornography. While you are overseas, U.S. laws don’t apply. If you do something illegal in your host country, your U.S. passport won’t help. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Palau, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy in Koror of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the U.S. Embassy.

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The official currency of Palau is the U.S. dollar. Major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, are accepted in most locations catering to tourists. There are several ATMs in Koror at the branches of local U.S. banks.

Koror State, where most tourist facilities are located, enforces a curfew between 2:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., Monday through Thursday, and between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., Friday to Sunday, and on national holidays.

Firearms of any kind are strictly prohibited in Palau. The penalty for possession of a firearm or ammunition is up to 15 years imprisonment. Palau customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Palau of certain other items. You should contact the Embassy of Palau in Washington, D.C., for specific information regarding customs requirements.

General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and from the Naval Oceanography portal.

Accessibility: While in Koror, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. Palau’s overall accessibility for the disabled is very limited. There is no legislation in place that mandates access to transportation, communication, and public building for persons with disabilities. The only existing legislation is access to government buildings. This legislation requires that there be at least one designated parking space close to the main entrance of each national government building open to the public; these parking spaces shall be clearly designated through use of words or symbols, as being available for use only by persons with disabilities. While many buildings have ramps to facilitate persons with disabilities, others do not. There is no public transportation equipped to transport persons on wheelchairs; sidewalks around Koror are limited. There are no free or reduced fares for disabled persons in taxis, or at communication, lodging, medical facilities, restaurants, cafes, bars, or other tourist spots.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Health facilities in Palau are adequate for routine medical care, but the availability and quality of services are limited. Serious medical conditions requiring hospitalizations or evacuation to the United States or elsewhere may cost tens of thousands of dollars.

You can find good information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: : You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I’m out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or an evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors’ and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. This information for Palau is provided as a general reference, and it may not be the case in all locations or circumstances.

Palau accepts a driver's license issued by a U.S. state or military authority for up to 30 days. After 30 days in Palau, you must obtain a Palauan driver’s license. Many roads in Koror, where the vast majority of the population lives, are in fair condition but have no sidewalks and little or no shoulder on the side of the road. Construction of the main road connecting the airport with downtown Koror is completed. In addition, for the most part, the roadway known as the “Compact Road” that loops around the large island of Babeldaob is in fairly good condition. However, a small section of the road has deteriorated, and repairs are under discussion. Secondary roads connecting villages to the Compact Road vary in quality from good to rough. The national speed limit is 25 miles per hour, but drivers routinely ignore this limit on the good-quality roads, and traffic often moves slower in congested areas. Passing slow-moving vehicles is illegal, but drivers do this routinely, creating potentially dangerous situations. Drunken drivers are a late-night hazard in Palau.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Palau, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Palau’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

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This replaces the Country Specific Information dated September 28, 2010, to update the sections on Criminal Penalties and Special Circumstances.

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Worldwide Caution

Travel Warnings

Travel Alerts

Country Information

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